


Ugly Christmas Sweater

by jsaint34



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, romanogers - Freeform, scarletsoldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 06:18:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9059191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jsaint34/pseuds/jsaint34
Summary: A story set on Christmas Day 2016, featuring the relationships of Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff as well as Bucky Barnes and Wanda Maximoff.  Christmas fluff, there isn't any other way to describe this story.  Set in an alternate universe where Steve and Bucky are just soldiers, not Captain America and the Winter Soldier.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CarolineCC](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarolineCC/gifts).



> I'm not really sure how I came up with this plot line but I was reading my Halloween one shot where Bucky and Wanda were already established as a couple so I had to go the other route and use this to make them a couple. This is really just unabashed fluff while I took a break from my other stories because of my work schedule. I will be back on those after the New Year, so for now, hope you enjoy this story. The title and part of the plot was inspired by the song Ugly Christmas Sweater written by Garth Brooks and John Martin, appearing on the CD Christmas Together by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. No infringement was intended and as always none of the characters belong to me.

Another Christmas Eve has come and Wanda Maximoff is worried. Six years have passed since the Ugly Christmas Sweater party that Tony Stark threw for his employees at Stark Tower. Her cousin; Natasha Romanoff is the Director of the Stark Scholarship Foundation and Wanda was interning for Natasha while finishing her last year of college. Wanda had been feeling lonely since her twin brother Pietro moved to Sokovia. They had been born in America when their parents left their war torn home country for a better life. Natasha was the only family she had left locally so when the invitation to move in came up she jumped at the chance. The cousins didn’t talk much about the accident that took her parents, especially since it had happened at Christmas. But shortly after moving in to her new home, Wanda met Natasha’s fiancé; Steve Rogers. He had just come home on leave from fighting overseas. Next to her brother, he was probably one of the greatest men she’d ever met in her life, the two of them quickly becoming friends. But it was that party that changed her perception forever.

December 24th 2010:

“Come on Wanda, it is Christmas Eve. I know you’d rather be studying, but I can’t go to this party without you.”

“You would have more fun without me there, Tasha. Christmas is…,”

“A hard time of the year for you, believe me I know. This is the reason you need to spend time with others in a social environment. Besides, you know Tony, the man can’t stop working for even a second. I have to be there to: “schmooze with prospective clients,” his words, not mine. I need your help. You’re not just an intern, you’re my right hand in all of this.”

“And will Steve be there?”

“We talked a week ago. He doesn’t think he will be. The war is…well…”

“War is war. Christmas is a difficult time for you as well. Not having your fiancé here to celebrate with.”

“But he is doing the job that he loves. I’m proud of him. He’s over there fighting to give something to people that we sometimes take for granted.”

Little did Natasha know, Steve and his team had been granted a leave for the holidays as the hostilities had temporarily ceased and diplomacy resumed. At that moment he was flying home to Brooklyn with his best friend James ‘Bucky’ Barnes. 

“Seriously Stevie, you didn’t tell Natasha we were coming home?”

“Because I didn’t know we’d be coming home. Besides, this way she’ll be surprised.”

Bucky could only shake his head in disbelief at Steve’s confidence. The two of them have known each other since the third grade, and when he met Natasha he knew that Steve had found as he described her: ‘the right partner.’ And the longer his best friend and the redhead were together the cheesier they became as a couple. With several hours left in the flight, Bucky reclined his chair and fell asleep. When the plane finally landed Christmas Eve had turned into Christmas Day and after a cab ride, Steve and Bucky arrived at an empty apartment.

“Nat? Nat, you home?”

“Told you so; you should have let her know we were coming. She’s not here to meet you.”

“Shut up, Buck. She left a note on our calendar. Stark Christmas Party, 12:00 p.m.”

“It’s another one of those boring office Christmas parties he throws every year. You remember the last one, and how he had all those women chasing after you?”

“You think I forgot about that? Nat and I had been dating six months by then. I can’t forget the look in her eyes when she heard Tony bragging. Ballet, Taekwondo and Jiu-jitsu, she’s well versed in all three. If Pepper hadn’t intervened, Nat would have broken him in half.”

“You’re going to make me go to this one, aren’t you?”

“It’s better than hanging around the apartment all day. And don’t you think it’s time you got over Maria?”

“Hey…”

Steve had a stern look on his face as Bucky was again about to protest. From that look, he knew he wasn’t getting out of this. Even the slightest mention of Maria Hill had Bucky closing himself off. They broke up the day he enlisted. And deep down, though he’d never admit it to his best friend, he still wasn’t quite over her. But just maybe, this party could lift his spirits.

“All right Steve, I’ll go. Maybe this time I’ll get to see you punch Stark in the face when he inevitably says something stupid.”

The party was already in full swing when the two soldiers arrived. Though they were both still weary from their flight home, the festivities brightened them both up immediately. Both were still in uniform, and couldn’t help but take a curious glance around the room, also getting confused looks in return. Every single person attending the party was dressed in a garishly ugly Christmas sweater. Sweaters that ranged from big presents to snow globes, and even one that was covered in mistletoe. The woman wearing this one instantly caught Bucky’s eye. Her dark brown hair fell in waves ending at her shoulders and her eyes were a piercing brown. It was just a brief glimpse he got of her before she walked away, giving the woman she was talking to the chance to see the last person she was expecting.

“STEVE!”

Natasha was across the room in a flash, instantly wrapping her arms around Steve’s neck and pulling him in for a kiss that could have been deemed inappropriate given their surroundings, not that either of them cared at the moment. Only Bucky clearing his throat got them to break the kiss amid loud clapping and groans of other attendees telling them to get a room.

“You…Steve…, I thought you weren’t…”

“The fighting has stopped Nat, hopefully for good. So for now, I’m…we’re home.”

“You brought Bucky. I thought he hated Stark parties.”

“I do. It’s good to see you Natasha. Steve still won’t shut up about you.”

“And I hope he never does.”

“So Nat; what’s with the ugly Christmas sweaters?”

“Tony’s idea, Steve. Pepper did her best to convince him it was a bad idea…,”

“But he didn’t listen, he never does. But you’re not wearing an ugly sweater.”

“Well, he couldn’t make me. However…”

“ROGERS!”

Tony shouted across the room as soon as he caught sight of Steve. As the billionaire made his way over he missed the subtle eye roll that the soldier made as he knew this conversation was going to be inevitable. But with it being Christmas he was doing his best to remain calm. And at the same time Bucky took this as his cue to leave. Though he barely knew anyone he still didn’t want to be around Stark.

“Natasha, you didn’t tell me Steve would be coming to the party. Shame on you.”

“I didn’t know he’d be back Tony. If you’ll excuse us…”

Tony didn’t let the couple get far away, intending to apologize and giving Pepper the chance to join the three of them. While the conversation continued Bucky found himself next to the bar. In the war he had developed camaraderie with his fellow soldiers in the Howling Commandos but this was an environment he was slightly uncomfortable being in. As he took his first sip of his beer, the woman he had seen talking with Natasha also came up to the bar. Up close she was even more beautiful than he had thought upon first glance.

“Is there something on my face?”

Bucky was staring so intently, he hadn’t realized she had spoken until she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, nudging him back into reality. 

“Sorry; what?”

“You were staring. Have we met before?”

“No, I think I’d remember meeting someone as beautiful as you.”

A slight tinge of pink crept into the woman’s cheeks. She didn’t even know this man and he already had her flustered. Maybe it was because her musician ex-boyfriend Victor, A.K.A. The Vision hadn’t been this confident in flirting with her. There was something different about this soldier and she instantly found herself wanting to get to know him better.

“Let’s dance.”

Not even waiting for an answer Bucky grabbed her hand pulling her over to the band so he could ask them to play something upbeat. They instantly broke into a swing version of Jingle Bell Rock, giving Bucky the opportunity to spin the woman out on to the dance floor. Soon enough other couples were joining them on the dance floor, even Steve and Natasha who both were smiling brightly while watching their friends dance. And then Wanda’s tough façade cracked when she threw her head back in laughter. She hadn’t yet told her dance partner her name, but he impressed her at every turn. Eventually the band played a slower song and they were now under the mistletoe. Wanda hadn’t had so much fun at one of these parties in years, and as the song ended she looked up into the soldier’s eyes, just before looking down at his lips. Their lips were mere inches apart, and as they both leaned in, Tony Stark interrupted them both with a clap to Bucky’s shoulder.

“BARNES! I should have known you’d be here with Steve. Where one is, the other is sure to be. So, are you enjoying yourself?”

“Well I was until…,”

Bucky had turned to face Tony because he was raised to be polite to the host of any party he attended. But when he turned back to his dance partner, she was gone. He took a long glance around the room, but failed to find her among the throngs of people. He wasn’t surprised as Stark often had that effect on people.

“I’m sorry, did I interrupt something?”

“When do you not interrupt something Stark? If you’ll excuse me, I should go find Steve.”

Bucky walked off leaving Tony in stunned silence. While the genius and Steve had been friends once, Barnes had no qualms about pretending to do anything other than tolerate Stark. As he caught sight of Steve and Natasha talking with Pepper once again, he instead decided to get some fresh air and stepped out onto the balcony. He didn’t expect to have company out there when he closed the door.

“Well, come on, let me see you. Don’t be shy now.”

Bucky hesitantly stepped forward until he was standing next to her. It was early evening in New York and the sun was beginning its’ descent across the sky. The temperature wasn’t particularly cold, but he did see his companion shiver. Being the gentleman that he is, he removed his camouflage jacket and draped it around her shoulders. 

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I…,”

“Don’t. I’m sorry for disappearing when Tony interrupted. So let’s start with something a little simpler. My cousin is Natasha Romanoff.”

“It’s nice to meet you Natasha’s cousin, officially I mean. So…”

“My name is Wanda Maximoff. And you…?”

“James Barnes. But Steve and everyone else call me…”

“Bucky. Steve talks about you all the time. You’re his best friend.”

 

December 24th 2016:

Looking back, Wanda was grateful she had let Natasha drag her to that party. If she had stayed in and studied she would never have met Bucky. Though he and Steve shipped back out to war after the New Year, she had made an impression on Bucky and he had made one on her. During those months that turned into years they wrote back and forth. Wanda would never have believed it could happen, but she fell in love with Barnes through those letters. Leave for the two soldiers were few and far between, but the next one they got was this past summer and Steve and Natasha finally got married. She was Natasha’s Maid of Honor while Bucky was Best Man. Now another Christmas has come and she and Natasha are decorating the guest house she and Bucky share on the same property Steve and Natasha have in upstate New York.

“Do you think they’re coming home this year; Nat?”

“I don’t know Wanda. I hope so. Being six months pregnant is hard without Steve here. And his son is kicking like crazy.”

“Yeah, little James. I’m going to guess you and Steve haven’t told Bucky that you’ve named your son after him.”

“Not yet, what better Christmas present could we give him than that?”

With the house decorated and the presents under the tree, Natasha went back to her own home as Wanda fell asleep on the sofa. Christmas morning she woke up in her bed with a pair of arms wrapped around her. She knew who instantly and slowly opened her eyes to see Bucky staring at her just like the first night they met.

“You’re staring at me again.”

“And you’re still as beautiful as the day I met you.”

“You’re still such a cheese. Merry Christmas. When did you get back?”

“Just a few hours ago. Now since I’ve been gone so long, what do you want for Christmas?”

“I already got what I wanted for Christmas. All I wanted was you.”

“Now you’re being the cheesy one.”

A few hours later she and Bucky were sitting back on the sofa waiting for Steve and Natasha to come over for Christmas lunch and opening presents. Wanda could tell there was something Bucky was keeping from her, but she knew it was something good, and she let her excitement build. After lunch and the presents were opened Steve and Natasha had one more gift for their friends.

“Listen Buck, Wanda; Nat and I have one more gift for you. You two are more than friends, you’re family. And when our son is born…first off Bucky we’ve named him James, after you. And we would be remiss if…,”

“…we want you to be his God-parents." 

Steve had paused and Natasha finished for him. Bucky was the most surprised at the revelation but was honored that they wanted to name their son after him. But as for being his God-parents they accepted happily. But this wasn’t the only surprise present left. On the flight back, Steve had decided to let Bucky share the most important news and he knew what was coming after. 

“There is one more thing we should tell you. Natasha, Wanda, Steve and I, we’ve been discharged honorably. We’re home for good.”

Tears fell from the two women sitting there, after these past six years and worrying that something could happen that would keep one or both of them from coming home, they could finally put that fear to rest. But Christmas wasn’t over yet, and Bucky turned to Wanda, and took her hand as he got down on one knee. Her tears started to fall again as he opened up a small velvet box.

“Wanda, six years was a long time to wait for this, but I wanted it to come at the right moment. Ever since we first met, I had a feeling you would be the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Now that I’m home, I can’t think of a better time than now. Wanda Maximoff, will you marry me?”

Through her tears, Wanda was speechless and could only nod yes. Her tears were still falling as Bucky slipped the ring on her finger. Instantly her mind was once again taken back to that party. Six years ago she had been single for four months and had no idea that she would be meeting the man who would propose to her on Christmas, and it was all because of any Ugly Christmas Sweater.


End file.
